Engineers at ISE Corp. in San Diego needed a battery to power the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) demonstration project they were building for the U.S. Army.

They found a solution with nickel metal hydride (NiMHax) battery packs from Cobasys in Orion, Mich. Cobasys is a joint venture between ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures, in Houston, Texas, and Energy Conversion Devices Inc. in Rochester Hills, Mich.

ISE engineers will use the batteries in a hybrid-electric power train, capable of improving fuel economy, reducing harmful emissions, extending operating range, and reducing noise.

ISE’s advanced control system will enable the FMTV to travel for several miles on battery power alone, with the engine turned off, thereby providing the “stealth” operating capability sought by the Army. Technicians at Stewart & Stevenson Tactical Vehicle Systems, in Sealy, Texas, are building the vehicle itself.

“The Cobasys NiMHax battery packs are an ideal solution for the FMTV project due to the complete integration of all necessary components to provide a safe, reliable high performance battery pack,” says Mike Simon, chairman of the board of ISE.

The NiMHax 576-240 is one of the largest power packs available, containing 96 Series 1000 battery modules that deliver 576 Volts and 240 kilowatts of power. The system also incorporates the Cobasys Hawkeye algorithm, which assures battery state-of-charge for optimum vehicle system operation.

And the liquid-cooled NiMHax packs are designed to withstand the effects of dirt, dust and water intrusion. For more information, see www.cobasys.com.